Encouraging Socially Responsible Social Networking (Texting & E-mailing)
Promoting Old School Driving: Hands on the Wheel and Eyes on the Road

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Social Networking & Driving

From the UK, the Metro published an article Tweeting & Driving is New Road Danger in April 2009 stating that people were Tweeting behind the wheel. Recent technology has allowed us to stay connected to social media sites via cell phone, which seems great in theory. However, increasingly people are staying in touch behind the wheel. It is hard to ignore the blips and bleeps our cell phones make telling us we have a new e-mail, text, Tweet, a Facebook alert, or a phone call. Incoming and outgoing data takes our eyes off the one place they need to be when we are driving. On the road. DontTwive LOVES Tweeting...and driving...just not at the same time.

The Metro Article Reports:"The survey of 1,000 motorists also showed that while 92% knew it was illegal to use a hand-held mobile while driving, as many as 45% sent text messages and made calls while at the wheel. Mike Pickard, head of risk and underwriting at esure, said: "There is a time and a place for social networking and it certainly isn't when driving a car. Messages being posted on Twitter from behind the wheel are a real cause for concern for the safety of other motorists and pedestrians.

"With advances in technology and the rise in mobile phone applications available, motorists are being increasingly distracted while behind the wheel - especially as constantly updating friends and family on what we're doing is now becoming the norm.

"Our advice to motorists is to remove this temptation altogether by switching off all mobile technology before driving to ensure focus solely remains on the road ahead."